Political Psychology

Neuroscience, Genetics, and Politics

George E. Marcus

Political Psychology

Neuroscience, Genetics, and Politics

George E. Marcus

Description

In Political Psychology: Neuroscience, Genetics, and Politics, scholar George Marcus provides a cutting-edge introduction that discusses the field's origins, evolution, and possibilities. Offering context that other texts typically omit, this unique volume includes a historical account of the ideas that underpin political psychology--ranging from Ancient Greece, through the Enlightenment, to today--thereby highlighting the deep intellectual roots and continuous vitality of the field. The book also looks at emerging trends in the discipline, integrating an "inside-out" perspective that analyzes how neuroscience, cognitive science, and genetics apply to politics. In addition to opening up new areas of inquiry, this approach gives students new conceptual, theoretical,
and methodological tools that they can use to seek out new answers to old questions.

An ideal text for upper-level undergraduate courses in political psychology or as a supplement in political behavior, public opinion, and political communications courses, Political Psychology focuses on teaching the essential skills involved in making credible political psychology explanations: creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking. Exercises throughout enable students to practice and master these skills and to "learn by doing."

Political Psychology

Neuroscience, Genetics, and Politics

George E. Marcus

Table of Contents

PrefaceSECTION I: INTRODUCTION Chapter 1. The Importance of Political Psychology The Field of Political PsychologyThe Social Organization of Political PsychologyThe Core Concerns of Political PsychologyThe Usefulness of TaxonomiesHuman Nature and Human PoliticsDoing Political PsychologyExplanation in Political PsychologyDescription and Explanation in Political PsychologyPlan of the BookExercisesChapter 2. A Brief Methodology Primer for Political Psychologists Explanations as Persuasion or Justification, and Explanation as KnowledgeGenerating Explanations: TheorizingGetting Observations: Data, Sampling, and GeneralizationSurveys: Samples from a Population of InterestExperimentsOther Data Collection MethodologiesMeasuring Concepts: Measurement TheoryForms of RelationshipsConclusionExercisesChapter 3. A Short History of a Long Tradition TimeUnderstanding Premodern Conceptions of TimeUnderstanding Modern TimeEmotion and Reason Shaping Political PsychologyThe Modern Dilemma: The Unexpected Trajectory of ProgressConclusionExercisesChapter 4. Neuroscience and Political Psychology Neuroscience and TimeNeuroscience and KnowledgeNeuroscience and ActionPsychology and KnowledgeValence ConceptionDiscrete, or Appraisal ConceptionsDimensional ConceptionsConclusionExercisesSECTION II: POLITICAL PSYCHOLOGY Chapter 5.Brain and Conscious Mind The Psychology of Mind and BrainSplit Brain ExperimentsTime and Brain FunctionsA Provisional Beginning: The Theory of Affective IntelligenceThe Politics of Mind and BrainConclusionExercisesChapter 6. Political Action: The Uses and Limits of the Mind The Limits of the Mind, the Blind Spot of Political PsychologyAn Overview of Preconscious Appraisal and ActionPolitical Psychology Wrestles with the UnconsciousThe Preconscious and PoliticsDual Process Models: Brain and MindConclusionExercisesChapter 7. Personality and Political Psychology A Very Brief Historical Introduction to PersonalityPersonality as Taxonomy: Personality as TypesThe Four HumorsModern Research on PersonalityPersonality in PsychobiographyPersonality in Political PsychologyFour Limitations of Trait Conceptions of PersonalityNeuroscience and PersonalityPathology and Research Agenda of Personality in Political PsychologyPolitical Psychology and Personality Going ForwardSuggested ReadingsResourcesExercisesChapter 8. Political Psychology and Democratic Politics How Do We Know?How Do We Manage?: Dual Process ModelsMoral JudgmentFree WillThe Special Challenge of ManipulationRethinking Core ConceptionsAppendix Critical books and articles exploring biological sources of variation in personalityGene Environment InteractionsMotor Action (behavior)VisionMemorySeminal Pieces regarding Genes and Political AttitudesApplications to Political Psychology: Selected ExamplesDevelopmental PsychologyEarly Seminal Work on PersonalitySome Primers: Evolutionary Accounts & Probabilistic EpigenesisAffective NeuroscienceEarly BasicsRecent BasicsConsciousness and PreconsciousnessAmygdalaSocial NeuroscienceBehavioral DevelopmentNeural DevelopmentDecision NeuroscienceExercisesSECTION III: POLITICAL SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY Chapter 9. Using the Past and Present to Live in the Future: A Brief Reprise Explaining Human Decision Making: ContextContext in Political PhilosophyContext in PsychologyA Preliminary Consideration ofAuthority and Context in PoliticsA Provisional Psychological Taxonomy of ContextAssessing the Empirical StoryThe Normative StoryAffect and ContextA Taxonomy of Context or a Taxonomy of ContextsExercisesChapter 10. Conclusion: Political Psychology and Politics IntroductionThe Limitations of Political PsychologyAn Agenda for Political Psychology (Redux)Political Psychology for the Young ScholarChoosing Research TopicsPolitical Psychology for the CitizenIndex

Political Psychology

Neuroscience, Genetics, and Politics

George E. Marcus

Author Information

George E. Marcus is Professor of Political Science at Williams College and Councilor of the International Society of Political Psychology. He is the author of numerous books and articles on political tolerance, emotion, and politics.

Political Psychology

Neuroscience, Genetics, and Politics

George E. Marcus

Reviews and Awards

"Political Psychology is the right book at the right time by the right author. It will not only be useful for existing courses, but, at least in my case, also help in the creation of new ones."--Eric Dickson, NYU

"This book seems to be a bridge from the cognitive to the political, which is something that is desperately needed in the field of political psychology."--Ted Brader, University of Michigan